The Hollies’ Greatest Hits (Vinyl record album review)

Album name: The Hollies’ Greatest Hits

Group name: the Hollies

Year: 1973

Number of discs: one

Label: Epic Records

Collection: Selman

Distinguishing characteristics: “DEMONSTRATION / NOT FOR SALE” stamped on back of album

Buy it on Amazon: $83.00

My review

Level of familiarity before listening

I am familiar with the Hollies as Graham Nash’s band, and know the song Carrie-Anne. I assume that I will probably recognize other songs, too.

What I expected

British invasion style pop and rock, with vocal harmonies.

What it was actually like

I did end up recognizing five of these 12 songs, including the first track, Bus Stop, which was great (and here is a wonderful and goofy cover)!

Carrie-Anne was also great, and I had no memory of its incongruous steel drum solo, but I really think that they were able to make it work. Another thing I noticed was that it sounded really… innocent for a song that was recorded almost exactly when the Beatles were releasing songs like Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. A similarly innocent-sounding song from the same time period (which I did not recognize) was On a Carousel, and I thought it had an excellent rhythm guitar part. Pay You Back with Interest also reminded me of Carrie-Anne due to its similar harmony, but was not as good a song overall.

Stop Stop Stop sounded familiar to me, and I was not quite sure if I recognized it or not, but I did love its banjo. And because you can never have too much banjo, here is the weirdest cover I could find of it.

Another that I recognized was Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress, from its extremely distinctive guitar riff. It was an awesome song and I had no idea that it was by the Hollies – it was from a much later era (1972), and I did not even realize that they were still making music then. Its style was also totally different, much more country rock. Long Dark Road was also from that era, and also had a different sound, with organ backing making a wall of sound at parts.

He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother was one that thought I might recognize because its name sounded familiar, but I think I just recalled the expression. It was also in a different style, still rock but not fun at all, and much slower than the other songs. I thought it was the worst on the record.

Look Through Any Window; Dear Eloise, which had excellent percussion; and Just One Look, another that I recognized, all had that mid 1960s style and were all great.

King Midas in Reverse was the record’s weirdest song, with a horns section, sound effects and more of an orchestral sound than the others.

Grade

5/5: love it